


To Feel at Home

by PilotInTheStars



Series: Now That's What You Call a Dream [3]
Category: Star Wars - All Media Types, Star Wars: Rebels
Genre: (but not kanan and hera's...), An Extremely Vague Reference to Sex, Babies, F/M, Father-Son Relationship, Fluff, Gen, Kanan Lives, Mother-Son Relationship, Newborn Life, Parenthood, Post-Star Wars: A New Hope, Rebellion, Weddings, relationships
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-05-08
Updated: 2020-05-08
Packaged: 2021-03-02 18:08:32
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,511
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24081085
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/PilotInTheStars/pseuds/PilotInTheStars
Summary: Snapshots from the months after Jacen was born.
Relationships: Hera Syndulla & Jacen Syndulla, Hera Syndulla & Sabine Wren, Jacen Syndulla & Sabine Wren, Kanan Jarrus & Hera Syndulla, Kanan Jarrus & Jacen Syndulla, Kanan Jarrus/Hera Syndulla
Series: Now That's What You Call a Dream [3]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1152563
Comments: 8
Kudos: 49





	To Feel at Home

**Author's Note:**

> I promise I will write something other than a snapshot story, but I think we all need some fluff right now and this was soothing for me to write. 
> 
> A special thank you to @rebelsfromstars for beta-ing!!!! <3 Your insight is the best. 
> 
> I hope you enjoy!! <3

Many things were comforting to Kanan Jarrus. The smell of the Ghost, the sound of the crew laughing over dinner, Hera in his arms, and her arms around him. He never expected the sound of a baby sucking a pacifier to be comforting- but it was.

Jacen was fast asleep in his arms, the baby’s head resting against his chest, a pacifier in his mouth, his fists curled up. Hera was at a brief over holo, stationed in the cockpit. 

Kanan didn’t know when he had begun to doze off, but he remembered Hera sighing and sitting next to him. She rested her head on his shoulder.

“I get you’re exhausted too?”

“How could you tell?” he joked. “Did the debriefing go alright?”

“It did. But that’s a topic for tomorrow morning.” Hera smiled and kissed him, then leaned down and kissed Jacen on the top of his head. “I love you both.”

Jacen squirmed, and it got their attention immediately, worried he would wake up. Hera gently stroked a hand down his back and he calmed, falling back asleep again.

“You need a break though,” Hera said, holding out her arms. She smiled as Kanan passed the baby to her and she cradled Jacen in her arms. She adjusted him and kissed him on the cheek. “I’ve got the baby.”

* * *

The Ghost was currently stationed on a temporary base, the Rebellion rebuilding after two high-cost battles. Hera’s half-maternity leave was quickly at a complete end, though much didn’t change.

Jacen was cradled in her arms as they walked down the hallway. Seeing that he was beginning to get upset, she tried to shush him, but he let out a full cry, spitting out his pacifier. 

The closest room was the cockpit, so Hera snuck in and sat down in the pilot’s chair to nurse him, Jacen quickly latching on. She ran her fingers through his hair and sighed. 

The stars were vibrant in the night sky, shining down on all of them, but yet Jacen seemed to be the brightest thing.

Kanan watched Jacen most days. Sometimes, when Hera was training pilots, or doing standard work around base, the baby would accompany her. She liked their evenings together though. 

The Ghost was far too quiet nowadays.

Zeb and Kallus were there from time to time and Sabine as well. Ezra was still on Lothal. Hera missed them all so much her heart hurt. 

_Change will always happen,_ her mother had told her once. _It’s tough sometimes, but change can bring good things to us._

And Hera was happy. She was, so truly. 

Jacen finished and Hera curled him close to her. “Time for bed, huh?”

* * *

Hera didn’t remember much from her brother, their lives intertwining so long ago, but she remembered loving it when her brother was big enough to smile.

And she loved Jacen’s smiles now.

He smiled when Kanan or Hera went to get him in the morning and smiled when they sang to him. He liked silly faces from Zeb and the sight of Chopper, and the droid’s occasional beeps to him could get a grin on his face.

They took turns with him in the early morning, but every once in a while, they were both up. Jacen was awake in the bunk, kicking his little legs. Kanan was in the fresher showering. Hera kissed his arms and belly and legs. He smiled at her.

She went to tickle the bottom of his foot and unexpectedly, he gave a coo. _No, a laugh._

He laughed!

“Was that a laugh?” she said softly.

He was smiling at her, but he always did that. Kanan walked into their room.

“Kanan!” 

He rushed over. “What, what’s wrong?”

“Nothing! Nothing, I promise.” She tickled the bottom of Jacen’s foot and he gave the tiniest laugh again.

“Force, it was a laugh.”

And it might have been the most beautiful sound.

* * *

They were at a wedding on base.

Jacen, with his beautiful blue eyes, stared out at everyone, dancing, laughing, being merry in a galaxy that seemed the opposite of happy most days.. Hera brushed his downy hair back and kissed him softly.

_They all had hope._

The baby shifted and looked away, a look on his face she knew instantly. 

“Shh, it’s okay.” She ran her fingers over the top of his head, bouncing him gently before he started crying. He curled closer to her and Hera put her cheek on the top of his head. 

She swayed with him gently as his eyes drooped. They’d need to go back soon. 

But it had been so long since she’d seen such a joyful celebration by nearly everyone. For once there was no fear in anyone’s hearts, at least for a moment.

Hera stood, mesmerized for a long time by it, until Kanan walked up.

“I think this youngling is tired,” he said quietly.

“He is,” Hera said, gently passing him to his father. She kissed him. “I am too.” 

The baby settled quietly in his father’s arms. The stars were bright as they left the room and went back to their ship. 

* * *

Hera tucked Jacen into his pajamas and they both kissed him goodnight. Hera had recently put a crib in Kanan’s old room on the Ghost, bolting it to the floor, now that he was sleeping in much longer stretches. They both missed him at times but were glad he was finally sleeping more.

Kanan collapsed into the bunk next to Hera.

“You know?” he said quietly. “I don’t think I’ve been to a wedding before.”

“Really?” _Though,_ Hera supposed, _there weren’t exactly a lot of opportunities too._

“They were big on Ryloth. I remember when my mother’s youngest sister- my aunt -was getting married.”

“Did you find it boring?”

“Not really. They were fun. All the food and music. And I had my cousins to keep me company.” Hera yawned.

“Though, people say we’re already married to begin with,” Kanan said jokingly.

“Hmm, do they? That’s not surprising. We’ve been together long enough.”

He placed his hand under her chin and kissed her. “That we have.”

She sighed and put her head against his chest. “I love you.”

“I love you too.”

Hera leaned up to kiss him and he eagerly returned it. Her hands drifted upwards towards the collar of his shirt, his hands drifted towards the hemline of her tunic. She let go for a moment. 

“Do you want to?”

“If you do,” he said quietly.

She nodded quickly and kissed him again. “I do.”

They spent the evening tangled up in each other’s arms.

* * *

“His eyes follow you everywhere,” Sabine said amused.

Hera turned to look at her. The baby was in Sabine’s arms, happy and chewing on his hands. The pair of them were both looking at her now.

“He always turns his attention to you.” Sabine picked him up from her lap so that his feet rested on her thighs and he could stand up. “He just likes looking at you. Mama’s boy.” 

Hera smiled at the two of them and leaned back against the cabinets of the galley, sipping her caf. Jacen’s smile at her melted her heart every time. 

Jacen turned his head behind him to look at Sabine. 

“Careful, he will tug your hair.” 

He was already reaching out a hand towards Sabine’s blue and green dyed hair and Sabine moved him to sit in her arms instead. 

Sabine was back with the Rebellion for the time being, taking up her old spot in her old room. It was nice to have someone back, someone else in the ship. The walls of the ship now found themselves covered in paint and Jacen loved the stuffed animal that she had bought and gifted him.

“He’s grown up so much already.”

“They do get too big too fast.” A selfish part of her wanted him to stop growing, to stay her baby forever. He was already pulling himself up by the crib slats when she went to wake him up in the morning, grinning at her when she entered the room. 

But he was growing, and even with the bittersweetness of it all, it led to new, wonderful things. He was on the verge of crawling and Kanan had taught him how to wave ‘hello.’

Hera couldn’t wait until he was old enough to remember flying and when she could tell him about the galaxy. That was a long while to go, but he already liked sitting with her and looking up at all the beautiful stars in the sky. 

Jacen loved Sabine and having her around. He didn’t seem to remember her at all from when they had last been together, but they quickly became the best of friends.

“I didn’t know how much I missed the Ghost,” Sabine said. “I miss you all so much.”

“We miss you too, Sabine,” Hera said. And it was the truth. It was nice having her home again. 

The Ghost was home to all of them and to feel at home was delightful indeed.

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you for reading! I hope you enjoyed. 
> 
> Stay safe out there. I'm here for you and sending you love and support. <3


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